Self-imposed over a population about 2 million persons, Yaya Jammeh of Gambia pegs his hopes on transforming the least resource endowed country a marvel for generations yet unborn. Riding on a cart driven by headless horse Jammeh’s ambition to reach that land of fantasy can only be fulfilled beyond planet earth. It remains a fast track vanishing dream as day breaks and nothing real to see with the naked open eye.
Not your ordinary good news from leading discoverers since mother Earth turned into home for mankind, yet people of ordinary bearing have guts to make extraordinary claim to fame in vastly different ways.
Well, according to Jammeh, it is a matter of little more time when the whole world will come to envy peanut farming sustained poor Gambia as the dreaming nation emerges world class superpower. In project development terms, a major milestone is about to unveil exactly 7 years from now. No doubt as with the unfolding of time in motion a span of 7 years will surely rollover. Will Jammeh’s fantastic dream come true?
Gold and Diamond discovery in Gambia
Vision 2020 is Gambia’s fantasized dream of transformation. To supporters of Yaya Jammeh, Gambia is ripe for world class superpower status with diamond and gold discovered on hill tops of rural settlements namely Basse or Kaur.
On top of diamond and gold, there is the longest promise of oil found in deep seas of coastal Gambia. None of these have been proven with any tangible evidence by geological experts. Like the naked emperor parading the streets pretending to be in new clothes, nobody in Gambia dares talk about the unreality of this fantasized wild dream of Jaya Jammeh.
Less than 10 years before Gambia becomes world class superpower nation?
Knowing that by time scores less than 8 years separates Gambians from proving Jammeh wrong or right, there is no better time than now to keep reminding the emperor that a nation he dreamt of transforming into world class superpower is showing no good signs leading to that direction.
Within a span of about 20 years since Jammeh seized power by coup Kanilai village that he calls home is transformed beyond imagination; boasting of high class amenities at least by Gambian standards. If that was the dream then Kanilai is superpower village of the nation and not Gambia as superpower nation of the world.
Vision 2020 however does not name Kanilai at all. Since Jammeh seized political power all roads to development in Gambia lead to one village. Though there are no official protocols observed about transferring the seat of government to Kanilai yet that is where all serious matters of national concern are referred and decided. A village once better known for broken bone fixing is now made highest seat of government business. Jammeh behaves like a drunken drummer who commands national resources doing whatever he wants.
No project or programme documentation for public access
With all the talk about Vision 2020, there is no publicly accessible documentation of a feasibility study or anything in programme and project deliverables. That leaves curious observers wondering if it is anything based on feasibility study results or pure wishful thinking.
Even if there was genuine studies carried out on transformation of Gambia into world class superpower nation, 20 years is far too long to bundle whole national development programme. In which case, Gambians have to wait till 20 years and see if it is true or false.
Projects are designed with time scales in a development programme. Milestones are plotted so that mistakes are corrected along the way. In the case of Jammeh’s Vision 2020, there is a programme without projects. If there are projects like building houses and bridges, the connection is not explained to the public. At least each Gambian tax payer needs to know what programmes, plans, and projects are drawn in everyone’s good name.
Jammeh and his government are being challenged to come up with documented projects and programme of deliverables. National development does not come about by wild dreams. A national debate is required even though 7 years will make no difference for failed nation.
Development without human capital
In almost 20 years since coming to power, Yaya Jammeh made the greatest negative impact by systematic destruction of Gambia’s human capital structure. The nation’s youths have been deceived more than any social bracket. They are being told it was a youth revolution. Those who relied on the empty promises as youth at the time are now parents of young families without any hope or prospects of better living. Some are already expecting to become grandparents.
Gambia’s human capital suffered most devastating blow by the iron fist of Yaya Jammeh as all imposing head of nation. Those who thought of serving in the name of patriotism ended up seriously disappointed. Good numbers of bankable professionals have been jailed and tormented and tortured to satisfy Jammeh’ show of power. Some of them had to flee for their own good. The rest is history.
Information is taboo
Knowing how much adverse effect it may bear, information is dangerous to handle and share in Gambia. A leading journalist Deyda Hydara was killed for his staunch stance in advocating media freedom. His killers are protected by Yaya Jammeh and given lot of privilege treatment.
Amnesty International documented Gambia’s condition in a compilation “Gambia Fear Rules” It is one of the most authoritative source material about Gambia under Yaya Jammeh.
Unfortunately for Jammeh and those supporting him, there is nothing they are able to control information flow. Gambians are more successful sharing information than coming together as viable political party aimed at undoing Yaya Jammeh.
President claims cure for HIV/AIDS
Part of his dream for transformation of Gambia would have been creation of a robust sustainable health system. That is nothing Gambians can hope to see in very long time. With all the poor health conditions prevailing in Gambia, Jammeh still claims to have cure for HIV/AIDS and other conditions. He is called doctor Jammeh.
When he first came up with that claim, it was headline news around the globe for no better reason. If it was true that Jammeh found cure for HIV/AIDS then he would be right to dream about transformation of Gambia into world class nation. He would have beaten all the chemists, health service enterprises, and stand tallest as sole keeper of a rare secret.
Quizzed about the secret of his new found cure for HIV/AIDS, Jammeh insists he would not give that away in million years. He equates that to recipe for Coca cola. While the world and even majority of Gambians disbelieve claims by Jammeh, he still operates a clinic where patients queue for HIV/AIDS consultations.
Giving and taking Life
You may doubt if Jammeh has cure for HIV/AIDS. His other claim is that of life giver and taker. According to Jammeh, he decides who lives or dies in Gambia. He will only protect those who wish him well and punish by torture or death anyone who challenges his authority.
To the horror of everyone, 9 prison inmates have been executed under cover of darkness shortly after Jammeh swore over national TV he was going to carry out death penalty as way of setting example on enemies; real or perceived. Some of the victims had pending court cases including two Senegalese nationals, one of them a woman Tabara Samb.
Who is being fooled?
Someone is being fooled or shall we accept that whole of Gambia for that matter. Nobody in Gambia is able to confirm seeing any proven track record or progress along the road towards becoming superpower nation.
While poverty and hardship deepens for Gambians and as a nation one person is super rich. That person is Yaya Jammeh the sole entrepreneur president who commands all national resources.
Jammeh holds sold cash reserves on top of his material possessions. He buys properties in places reserved for the world richest. It is no doubt that if all that adds up then Jammeh as a person certainly found a superrich living status beyond this planet. That is not wealth and good life shared by other Gambians. Therefore Gambian president Yaya Jammeh landed himself on another planet while enjoying his dreams by hook or by crook leaving behind a nation in abject povery.
Is Jammeh’s dream of superpower nation feasible?
Unless he is able to play last minute magical performance, all indicators are that Gambia is not on the road to becoming a world class superpower nation. There was no study, no realistic documentation, and evidence that 7 years from now there will be a better Gambia. With high handed oppressive ways of Yaya Jammeh in all the harmful encounters suffered by Gambians under his iron grips of political and economic power, the situation can only get worse.
More than anything, Gambians in the larger majority want to see Yaya Jammeh vanish or get caught to face punishment. No reasonable Gambian holds any patience to permit Jammeh’s continuity in such deadly state of terror.
Jammeh remains the super man of the nation but Gambia shall never be superpower nation as matters get worse day by day. Any talks about Gambia becoming world class superpower nation is nothing but a flight to another planet far from mother Earth. Only those wishing to get sink deep will want to journey that with Yaya Jammeh as day dreaming captain of doom.
*The author is enterprise architect and project management consultant UK